By Obas Esiedesa
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has dissolved the board of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDC) over what it described as grave financial, operational and regulatory failures, appointing the utility’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abubakar Umar Hashidu, as administrator for an initial six-month period.
The intervention, contained in Order No. NERC/2026/086, took effect from August 10, 2026, following an inquiry and consultations with key stakeholders, including the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
NERC said KAEDC was in a “grave situation” marked by prolonged market defaults, weak operational performance, inadequate investment and an inability to present “a credible pathway to sustainable recovery.”
According to the Commission, the DisCo’s cumulative market obligations had risen to N456.5 billion as of May 2026, comprising N415.5 billion owed to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and N41 billion to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO). It also owed N14.26 billion in statutory and third-party obligations.
